The call went out earlier this year for short, story-driven videos in any format — short film, web-series episode, TV pilot — and any genre. The winner will have the opportunity of working with Scott Free, director Ridley Scott’s production company, along with Michael Fassbender and a world-class team to develop their project.

Judges told smartmoviemaking.com that they had the difficult task of narrowing down more than 15,000 submissions from more than 160 countries across the globe.

From the 50 semi-finalists, 10 films will be selected to open the 2012 Venice Film Festival where a Grand Prize Winner will be rewarded with a $500,000 grant to create a new work, produced by Scott.

Here’s Ridley Scott talking at the launch of the competition earlier this year: